South Australian Emergency Services Minister Peter Malinauskas says he will take the concerns of south-east residents over policy changes to SA Ambulance Service cover to Minister for Health Jack Snelling.

Much of the debate has centred around what policy holders say is the service's failure to give them advance notice of the change before it comes into place on May 30.

In Mount Gambier this week, Emergency Services Minister Peter Malinauskas met with local Australian Labor Party (ALP) branch members and said they had spoken to him about the policy change and how it would affect them.

"They were certainly very vocal and concerned about the development that has occurred in respect to the ambulance cover," he told ABC South East on Wednesday.

"I undertook to them that I would be taking these concerns up with Jack Snelling. We've already started that process."

ALP sub-branch President Viv Maher said she was also calling on the health minister to "reverse the decision".

Some of their branch members lived outside Mount Gambier and did not have the option of joining the Victorian Ambulance Service, which only covers two postcodes in the south-east region, according to Ms Maher.

Mr Killens said the change was part of a regular policy review and ensured "the service could continue to provide the best possible service for the majority of South Australians".

"I thought he was very dismissive and lacked the understanding of country people," Ms Maher said.

Member for Mount Gambier joins call

Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell also called for the decision to be reversed, saying his office had been inundated with calls following the policy change being made public.

With the service falling under the umbrella of SA Health, Mr Bell said Mr Snelling could intervene.

"Ultimately, it's the minister's decision and the minister can override that," he said.

"I call on the Minister for Health to intervene and reverse these cuts to the ambulance service."

Mr Bell called the decision arrogant and said it showed a complete lack of understanding of regional areas that lie close to state borders.

"Many people travel over the border for sport, work, education or just travelling," he said.

"What's really worrying for people is that they don't want to be out of pocket for a large sum of money.

"I've had ambulance cover for over 20 years and never had to use it once, but it is reassuring to know you do have that level of cover there. For us not to have nation-wide cover is pretty ordinary to be honest."

Personally, he had the benefit of being able to transfer his cover to the Victoria service, but he said many people who lived in the south-east did not.

"I suspect we'll have a mass exodus from the ambulance services from those in the 5290 area and other people will be forced into a private cover arrangement," he said.

"I'm sure they will then be questioning 'well why do I then need my SA Ambulance cover, which is only valid in South Australia'?"

ABC South East was told the Minister for Health was travelling in the far north this week and was not available for comment.